Chapter 795: He and His Sons

"Very well. Liaoyang is a strong city — I was somewhat troubled by it before. Since your men's morale is so high, when the time comes, let your troops lead the assault. I hope you will not disappoint my expectations." The Great Khan gazed into the distance and spoke without turning his head.

These words instantly drained the color from Daišan's face. In a flash, he was filled with regret for his bold words just moments before.

This was the situation he feared most — Liaoyang was a major city, and the Jianzhou Jurchen Jin army lacked siege equipment. If they were tasked with the main assault, casualties would certainly be very high. The earlier battle to take Shenyang could be said to be the hardest fight Nurhaci and the others had fought since raising their army, even surpassing the earlier Battle of Sarhū. Liaoyang was a great city far larger than Shenyang. If they truly had to bear the brunt of the attack, just how much blood and treasure would it cost? It was a price he simply could not afford to pay!

In the Later Jin state, a beile's position did not rest on bloodline, but on the strength under his command. If the Plain Red Banner's strength were damaged, what place would he, Daišan, have left to stand?

But even though his heart was filled with regret and fear, he dared not show the slightest discontent in front of Nurhaci. The greatest salvage he could manage was to answer in a low, trembling voice, "Father Khan has commanded, and Daišan will not refuse. It is only that my troops have been fighting campaign after campaign lately — the soldiers are somewhat weary, and our arms and equipment are somewhat lacking. Could Father Khan perhaps..."

"Didn't you just say your men's morale was surging?" Daišan's words were quickly cut off by the Great Khan.

The faint chill contained within those calm words made Daišan's entire body stiffen in an instant. He felt only the cold wind burrowing into his body, gnawing at his blood vessels, eroding his bone marrow... but, just like every time before, he still lowered his head.

"If Father Khan has already decided, Daišan will not refuse. I will go and prepare now, and there will be no slackness whatsoever."

Daišan's utterly submissive demeanor filled Nurhaci's heart with an inexplicable thrill of pleasure.

Even having grown so many years younger, a son was still only a son in the end. If he wanted to knock him into line, he could do so as easily as he pleased.

Now that the knocking-about was sufficient, he could ease up.

"Don't be hasty. Since your men are not yet ready, I have other arrangements."

These words were like the blazing summer sun, pulling Daišan back from the ice in an instant. His suspended heart finally settled. Only then did he realize his back had long been drenched in cold sweat.

His father's fearsomeness, his father's suppression of him, had become an indelible shadow in this man's heart, one he could never surmount.

Nurhaci did not look at his second son again, but casually beckoned an attendant from the side.

"Go and summon Hong Taiji for me."

The attendant immediately departed to carry out the order. And Daišan, having not received Nurhaci's permission to leave, could only continue to follow at Nurhaci's side, not daring to utter another word.

The attendant spurred his horse on, racing toward the army formation ahead at a speed far exceeding the ordinary marching pace, and soon galloped into a sea of white banners.

Very quickly, a small group of riders burst out from among the white banners and hurried back toward Nurhaci.

Upon arriving before Nurhaci, these riders all dismounted and knelt in salute.

Among them was one man whose movements were somewhat sluggish, even appearing somewhat comical, due to his somewhat stout build — yet his motions were still very nimble, and he knelt with smooth, natural fluency.

"Hong Taiji pays respects to Father Khan!"

Nurhaci said nothing, merely waving his hand lightly, signaling Hong Taiji to rise and wait, and follow behind him.

Because the Great Khan was about to discuss important matters, the attendants all dared not approach. Only Nurhaci, Daišan, and Hong Taiji, three men on horseback, slowly advanced.

Nurhaci, in the center, remained silent, merely advancing slowly forward. The two sons at his side naturally dared not speak either, following in equal silence, without even exchanging glances.

Gazing at the endless marching column stretching beyond sight before him, Nurhaci suddenly let out a long sigh.

"I never imagined there would be a day like this!"

Neither son replied, waiting for the Great Khan to continue.

"You both know how desperate my circumstances were when I resolved to undertake a great enterprise! After decades of hardship, I have only now finally established such a foundation, achieved such a legacy!" Nurhaci continued, "To build an enterprise is far too difficult — to ruin a family fortune is far too easy!"

Hong Taiji and Daišan exchanged a glance, not understanding why the Great Khan was acting this way.

At that moment, Nurhaci also looked to both sides, sweeping his intimidating gaze over his two sons.

"Therefore, you must heed the Great Khan's words. Do not tear each other down in factional strife. Do not let this hard-won foundation be suddenly ruined. Do you understand!"

"Father Khan's lesson is correct. We must all twist together into a single rope to exert our strength in unison," Daišan hastily answered.

"Father Khan, your son has always strictly followed the Great Khan's teachings and will never show disrespect to any of my brothers," Hong Taiji also answered at once.

Though they spoke such fine, face-saving words, neither man took them to heart. Instead, they carefully pondered the Great Khan's intent, guessing at his thoughts.

Because, all along, Nurhaci had tacitly permitted, even encouraged, his sons to tear each other down and struggle against one another — for this could further consolidate his own authority. If his sons truly did not struggle, that was when the Great Khan would worry.

"It is good that you know." The Great Khan nodded, then turned his gaze to the left, onto the Plain White Banner commander, Hong Taiji.

Due to his stout build, Hong Taiji's face was large and his forehead broad. His half-lidded eyes, paired with a not-very-high nose bridge, made him look exactly like some comfortably retired country gentleman enjoying his fortune in a manor inside the Pass. Set off by the smile filling his face, he appeared very genial, even somewhat simple and honest — but his father and brothers all knew just how cruel this man could become when the need arose.

"Hong Taiji, how are your men lately?"

"In answer to Father Khan, our men all acquired a great deal of property in the previous battles. Now every one of them is brimming with morale, all wanting to quickly take Liaoyang City and score another big haul!" Hong Taiji also gave an ingratiating reply.

You'll get yours soon enough, Daišan beside him sneered coldly in his heart.

"Oh..." Nurhaci responded meaningfully, then asked further, "In less than two days we should arrive beneath the walls of Liaoyang. How do you think we should arrange things then?"

The ominous undertone contained in this question made even the seemingly eternal smile on Hong Taiji's face stiffen for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

"This is a matter that only Father Khan can arrange. I need only obey and follow orders. As long as the Great Khan commands me to assault the city, I will absolutely not utter a second word!"

"Your Plain White Banner's strength is still insufficient at present." The Great Khan shifted his gaze straight ahead. "The reason I called you here is precisely to ask your opinion. Just now Daišan came to me and discussed matters. At his suggestion, I feel it is best this time to have Amin take charge of the main assault, with you supervising the battle at the side and occasionally lending a hand. What do you think?"

Hong Taiji lowered his head slightly, then cast an almost imperceptible glance over at Daišan.

Since when did I make such a suggestion? Daišan also furrowed his brow slightly, but said nothing.

Though he feigned complete calm on the surface, Daišan had already discerned the intent behind Nurhaci's arrangement — overtly, he wanted to weaken Amin; covertly, he also wanted to make Hong Taiji suffer a bit as well. Though he did not know the reason, the Great Khan wanted to do this right now.

Even though he had seen through it, he still remained respectfully at his father's side, showing not the slightest sign of anything amiss. Because as long as his own assets were not touched, he did not care who lived or died.

"Father Khan has commanded — I will not refuse!"

Hong Taiji showed no sign of anything unusual, directly accepting the order with a smile.

Looking at Hong Taiji's face full of smiles, a faint doubt suddenly stirred within Nurhaci's heart.

Did Hong Taiji truly not see his intent and was therefore oblivious? Or had he long since guessed in his heart that he would be arranged thus, and was therefore fully prepared and confident?

From this face brimming with deference and gentleness, Nurhaci could discern no clue whatsoever.

Sometimes, he felt he could not even see through this son.

A son is still only a son in the end — he cannot overturn the heavens, Nurhaci thought to himself in the end.

Amin and Hong Taiji had both been far too smug lately, and needed to be knocked down a peg — Amin especially.

Because although he had been enfeoffed as a beile, Amin was not his son, but the second son of his younger brother Šurhaci.

This Šurhaci — it was precisely because he had threatened Nurhaci's position that Nurhaci had resolutely ordered him imprisoned until death. When it came to the khan's throne and power, mere brotherly affection was something Nurhaci naturally knew how to weigh and discard.

So what exactly was Amin thinking? Nurhaci sometimes couldn't help turning the question over in his mind.

Because Amin had always behaved with deference and submission before him, never daring the slightest defiance, Nurhaci had no way of knowing whether Amin truly harbored no disloyal intent over his father's death, or simply dared not show it.

Yet whenever he caught Amin's unconscious expression, that wolf-like look in his eyes, he could not help recalling himself years ago, serving under Li Chengliang — a look of forcibly suppressed ambition, a look with flames burning in the heart. It never failed to send a chill through him.

It was not only his nephew he had to suppress — now he also had to find ways to rein in his own sons. In recent years he had used all manner of pretexts to keep down the several sons who already held real power: Daišan, for instance, and Manggūltai, and today, Hong Taiji.

Because he wanted his fourteenth son — that is, his second son by his favored consort Abahai, Dorgon — to succeed to his khanate. He certainly could not leave Dorgon with a situation where his elder brothers could not be controlled.

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